Each week, I speak with attorneys across the country—smart, driven professionals who want more from their careers. Some are looking for higher salaries. Others want to join prestigious firms or move to bigger legal markets. A recent conversation with a litigator from Utah highlighted just how difficult these transitions can be—and how often attorneys underestimate the realities.
This candidate, like many others, had set his sights on major cities like New York, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and Washington, DC. He hoped that moving from Salt Lake City to one of these hubs would open doors to more exciting cases, better compensation, and career advancement.
But here’s the hard truth: breaking into a competitive legal market is far more challenging than most attorneys expect—especially if you don’t have top credentials, strong local ties, or a bulletproof résumé.
Let’s unpack this attorney’s story—and what it reveals about the common pitfalls and misconceptions surrounding lateral market moves.
1. Breaking Into a New Legal Market Is Brutally Competitive
When you apply to a firm in a different city, you’re not just another résumé in the pile—you’re up against a flood of highly qualified local candidates. And in elite markets like NYC, Chicago, or DC, that bar is sky-high.
Firms in these cities routinely receive applications from:
Associates at AmLaw 100 firms and elite boutiques
Top 10 law school graduates with honors
Attorneys who already live locally and bring strong, established ties
Candidates with stable work histories and impeccable training
Now, compare that to our Utah litigator. He’s sharp, motivated, and doing well at a regional Utah firm. He’s also a graduate of Brigham Young University’s law school—respectable, but not a national powerhouse. He didn’t secure a summer associate position during law school, which sends a signal to elite firms that he wasn’t among the most heavily recruited candidates.
None of this means he’s not a good lawyer. But in the hyper-competitive world of lateral hiring, firms often focus on pedigree first—and if you don’t check those boxes, you’ll likely be passed over.
2. Supply and Demand: The Unforgiving Economics of Legal Hiring
The legal job market isn’t just about merit. It’s about economics—and in most large cities, supply vastly outweighs demand.
Cities like Washington, DC are flooded with attorneys. Between law firms, government agencies, think tanks, nonprofits, and lobbyists, the attorney-per-capita rate is among the highest in the world. That means firms can afford to be incredibly selective—and they are.
In oversaturated markets, hiring standards skyrocket. Unless a firm has an urgent need (like during the dot-com boom or the COVID-era M&A surge), they’ll default to hiring candidates with top schools, elite firms, and local roots.
Without those elements, even highly capable lawyers find themselves shut out.
3. Wanting a Higher Salary Isn’t Enough to Get You Hired
One of the biggest missteps attorneys make when exploring new markets is assuming that their desire for a better salary is compelling to law firms. It’s not.
Firms don’t hire based on your financial goals. They hire based on fit and longevity. Their unspoken questions include:
Does this candidate have genuine ties to our city?
Are they likely to stay here long-term?
Can they commit to our clients and culture?
In the case of our Utah attorney, his main motivations were personal: his new wife wanted a change, and he wanted to explore life in a bigger city. Admirable? Sure. But to hiring partners, that sounds like someone who may leave again in a year or two.
Firms invest significant time and resources into new hires. They’re looking for stability—not a stopover.
4. “Going Home” to California? Not Without the Bar
This attorney also considered returning to Southern California, where he grew up. In theory, that’s a great move—firms love candidates who are "coming home," since it signals a long-term commitment to the region.
But there’s a catch: he hasn’t passed the California Bar.
California law firms are wary of hiring out-of-state attorneys who aren’t licensed locally. And for good reason—the California Bar Exam is one of the toughest in the country, with pass rates often under 50%, especially for attorneys trained out of state.
Many firms have been burned by new hires failing the bar multiple times. As a result, some won’t even review a résumé if the candidate isn’t already admitted. In this case, our candidate’s geographic ties weren’t enough to overcome this critical licensing gap.
5. Résumé Stability Matters More Than You Think
In the legal world, stability is currency. Law firms value long tenures and clear professional progression. If your résumé shows frequent moves or short stints, it raises red flags.
This attorney had already changed firms once in under two years. While moving from a small shop to a regional firm made sense, another quick jump could damage his credibility. It creates the impression—fair or not—that he’s restless or hard to retain.
Conversely, staying longer at a firm—even if it’s not your dream job—adds strength to your profile. It demonstrates loyalty, endurance, and professional growth. Hiring partners notice that.
6. The Hidden Power of Applying to Firms Without Job Openings
Here’s one of the most overlooked strategies for making a successful move: apply to firms before they post openings.
Why? Because once a job is posted, your résumé competes with dozens—sometimes hundreds—of others. Unless you’re a standout, you’ll get lost in the shuffle.
But if you reach out directly—especially in smaller markets or to firms with growing caseloads—you might be the only résumé on the hiring partner’s desk that week.
This “off-market” approach works best with targeted, well-researched applications. It’s not about mass emailing. It’s about identifying firms that might need your skills and showing up before the crowd does.
7. Why Niche Markets Like Idaho and Las Vegas Are Often Better Options
If you're not coming from a top law school or firm, and you lack national prestige, then your job search strategy needs to reflect reality—not just ambition. That often means targeting smaller, more receptive legal markets where you have a unique advantage.
For LDS attorneys like this Utah candidate, places like Boise and Las Vegas can offer real opportunities. Both regions have strong LDS communities and a professional culture that may be more welcoming to someone with a similar background. While law firms won’t say it publicly, cultural and religious alignment can play a subtle—but important—role in hiring decisions.
Remember: firms don’t just hire résumés. They hire people—people they’ll collaborate with day in and day out. When an applicant shares a firm’s values or cultural norms, there’s often an immediate sense of “fit,” even if the credentials aren’t Ivy League.
These culturally aligned markets—Idaho, Nevada, Utah, parts of Arizona—are often more accessible and offer a better path for career advancement than the cutthroat environments of New York or Chicago.
8. Washington, DC: The Most Saturated Legal Market in the Country
One of this attorney’s dream destinations was Washington, DC—but few legal markets are as saturated and challenging.
The nation’s capital is a magnet for attorneys from across the country. With its dense concentration of federal agencies, nonprofits, lobbying firms, top-tier law schools, and Biglaw offices, DC has more attorneys per capita than anywhere else in the United States.
Even local candidates face brutal competition. Without a top-tier law school, federal clerkship, or deep local connections, breaking into the DC market is close to impossible.
This doesn’t mean you should never apply there—but unless your background aligns perfectly with what DC firms want, your efforts might be better spent targeting more strategic markets.
9. Don’t Chase Recruiter Emails—Build a Career Strategy
It’s tempting to respond to every recruiter email promising higher pay or a “perfect fit” at a prestigious firm. But most of these messages are generated from bulk databases and don’t reflect a strategic opportunity tailored to your profile.
Instead of reacting impulsively to recruiter outreach, develop a deliberate plan. Ask yourself:
Which markets are realistic given your credentials?
What kinds of firms align with your values and goals?
What does your current résumé communicate to employers?
How can you improve your position before making a move?
A shotgun approach rarely works in legal hiring. Success comes from knowing your worth, understanding your market, and applying with precision.
10. Final Recommendations for This Attorney—and Others Like Him
The Utah litigator has the drive and the talent—but not yet the résumé or market leverage to make a big leap. Here’s what we’d advise him—and others in similar shoes—to do:
Focus on résumé stability. Stay put for now and build a track record of longevity and success.
Target culturally aligned markets. Explore Boise, Las Vegas, Denver, and Phoenix where LDS background and regional experience can stand out.
Apply beyond job postings. Reach out proactively to firms without waiting for listings.
Leverage personal background. Use cultural ties as a point of connection in more homogeneous or values-driven markets.
Avoid hyper-saturated hubs like NYC, DC, and Chicago unless your résumé is bulletproof.
Only pursue California if serious. Don’t try LA or San Diego until you’ve passed the California Bar and are ready for the grind.
At BCG Attorney Search and LawCrossing, we’ve helped thousands of attorneys find the right market fit. And what we know is this: success in the legal job market isn’t just about credentials—it’s about strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I move from a regional firm to a Biglaw firm in a major city?
Yes—but only if your résumé includes strong credentials such as a top-tier law school, high grades, and relevant firm experience. Without these, major markets like NYC and DC can be very hard to crack.
2. Do smaller legal markets really offer better opportunities?
They can. Smaller or niche markets like Boise, Las Vegas, or Phoenix may be more receptive to attorneys with regional ties, cultural alignment, or less traditional backgrounds.
3. How important is law school pedigree in lateral hiring?
Extremely. In competitive markets, firms often prioritize candidates from top law schools. A lower-ranked school may require stronger experience or personal ties to the market to overcome that hurdle.
4. Should I respond to recruiter emails about legal jobs?
Be cautious. Most recruiter emails are automated and may not reflect realistic opportunities. Focus on developing a proactive, personalized career strategy instead.
5. Is it worth taking the California Bar to work in California?
Only if you're fully committed. The California Bar Exam is notoriously difficult. Many firms won’t consider candidates not already licensed in the state.
6. How do cultural or religious ties affect legal hiring?
Firms won’t say it outright, but shared background or cultural alignment can influence hiring—especially in smaller or more homogenous markets. This is often true for LDS attorneys in markets like Idaho or Nevada.
